Sunday 8 December 2019

National Festival of Model Railways

Since Peterborough is on what passes for our doorstep in this part of the world I thought I would give this show a try this year.  Having said that the list of layouts didn't excite me, but it was this or Xmas shopping, so that was an easy decision to make.

As Phil Parker pointed out when we were chatting it is a show with a wide remit and a big audience to please, so it tends to have a bit of everything. Had I gone with a wad of cash in my pocket and some specific projects in mind I'm sure I would have found plenty of opportunities to spend it, with an excellent range of traders from the specialist to the box shifters, and if I go again they will be my focus. It was also nice that the spacious layout allowed plenty of room to get to the trade stands most of the time. Oddly the one I found hardest to get to was Freestone Model Asseccories. I wonder if that is part of what seems to be a bit of a renaissance for card models.

For me, there were just a handful of layouts that made an impression. Bewdley was interesting since it is a location I know well






I liked Burnham, but couldn't really get a good photo of it. I was relying solely on my mobile phone for once and I'm still getting the hang of using it at shows.

Leysdown was my favourite, I loved the spaciousness of it. I have to say it was one of a number of handful of layouts making really good use of subtle levels of sound as well.




Returning home I found a long-anticipated delivery from Rapido that certainly brings back memories of my mostly unhappy schooldays.


 And today I'm back to moving long-forgotten books and models into the new studio.


As well as welcoming two new goats into our herd, to wreck more destruction on the ELR



2 comments:

  1. Hello, from across the pond in north Florida, USA...How about a few pictures of the inside of the new studio?...
    Thanks, Howard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is chaotic inside it at the moment thanks to my wife not getting the concept of critical path analysis when project planning. I did post a couple of shots of TAoC baseboards inside it recently. But more photos will follow...

      Delete